The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-17
CHRISTINE NILSSON AT HOME.
The Hospitality Dispensed ny tne
World-Renowned Songstress.

The Hospitality Dispensed ny Ine
World-Renowned Songstress.
LONDON, July 2--The home Of Christine
Nilsson in Kensington court is one OF the
most luxurious bonbonnieres in London. 1t
may really be looked upon as her bridal
bower, for previously she occupied house
in Belgravia which, though very fine and
! expensive, was not half so charming as the
beautiful nest in which the nightingale now
reposes. ] rlade one of the diva's company
at her last reception, and passed an hour or
two of that unalloyed enjoyment which IL Is
| occasionally given us mortals to experience.
| The world-renowEed songstress received me
with engaging and hospitable warmth at
| the door of her drawing room, an apartment
crowded with artistic furniture richly
carved and gilded, embroidered draperies
and an almost indescribable quantity OF rare
bibelotS. A gilded cabinet bearing her
monogram is quito filled with exquisite
ancient fans, several of which are historic,
having belonged to Queens and Princessesi a
| Chickering concert grand piano is partially
covered with an unusually fine China Grape
shawl, embroidered in colors, trimmed with
a multi-colored fringe and looped up here
and there with rare old silver clasps.
Sculptured ivories, FURNISHED enamels, an
ancient ormulu clock with its face set round
with costly crystals, which sparkle almost
like diamonds, a marble bust OF the diva
standing on a buhl table under the graceful
foliage of palm, and at least score of
photographs of crowned heads, whose
sovereign fingers have offered these tributes,
with their autographs, to Christine Nilsson,
are few of the many interesting objects
upon which the charmed eye OF the visitor
falls. The lovely Queen Mercedes of Spain,
the Expresses of Russia and Austria, the
Queens of Greece, Sweden and Norway,
the Princess of Wales, the Duchess of Edin-
burg and many other great ladies have
given their photos and autographs
and phrases of admiration to the
celebrated singer Right we'll and happy
does the celebrated songstress look to-day
in her dark blue gown of satin-faced surah,
made without train, high neck and with the
elbow sleeves which show to such advantage
the white and shapely arms. A touch OF
pink ribbon and voluminous cascade of fine
old point lace from an admirable background
for the wonderful parure of sapphires and
diamonds with which her ears, neck fingers
and arms are adorned. She looks hand
somer now than she did a score of years ago
when Cavanel painted that exquisite full
length of her as Ophela which hangs yonder.
Il was young and poor them" she says,
stroking her now plump cheeks, and by the
use of the word poor in the seIs3 OF thin,
showing how great an influence her
American connection has had in forming
her English speech: for in England poor"
and lean" are not considered identical in
meaning With hearty admiration that
| has truth ringing in every syllable, Chris
tine speaks of her fondness for America;
and her qualification in the knowledge that
she is liked there. She belongs to the
Scandinavian race, a people who, more
perhaps than any other, assimilate well
with our native-born population; and one
can quite easily believe that if she were but
% lich ION
! who inhabit America, instead of being one
of the greatest prima donnas who ever lived,
| she would like, even almost as much as now
she does, the free air and the socially noble
institutions of the United states.
The fair Christine is now the Countess
Casa de Miranda, and | was interested i'll
the personality of her happy spouse. The
| Count is a slender man of middle age, of
about NilSsons own height, with dark com
| plexion, and eyes which require circular
rimleSs glass stuck in one of them only.
Immeasurably proud, and naturally so, the
| good gentleman seems to be of his renowned
and fascinating wife; and the pleasant little
daughter, who has brought them together,
| fits from one parent to the other, as joyous
as a bird in the sunshine. She is quite
| Spanish in her coloring, and though she has
fine black eyes, would scarcely be called a
beauty. With the joy of happy motherhood
and wifehood cleaning brightly from her
sapphire eyes, Nilsson herself is beauty;
and her voice is the angels prayer it ever was.
Am not to be envied! who write to you,
sitting on gold divan, by Wilson's side as
she sings Schubert's Serenade, Nettie Car
penter accompanying her on the violin, and
CAM at the piano! l will hear no lesser
vocaliZing after that exquisite dream of
melody, and so depart, down the COLLINS
tapestried oak staircase, past the morning
room in claret velvet, the dining room in
| Spanish leather, the quaint hall with stained
| glass windows, in which stand three men
servants in livery, and then out into the
prosaic world of spoken speech, the Queens
highways of Piccadilly, Bond street and the
| Strand. OLIVE LOGAN.